The Los Angeles Dodgers were defeated, 16-6, by the Oakland Athletics at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday night in a game that manager Dave Roberts said his team got their ‘butts kicked.’
To add insult to injury, one of the Athletics key contributors, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, was former Dodgers outfielder Trayce Thompson. With the Dodgers trailing 9-4 in the bottom of the sixth inning and threatening to score, Yasiel Puig stepped to the plate to pinch-hit.
He launched a deep fly ball to center field that carried and looked like it had the distance to go for a two-run home run. Puig himself was convinced, and tossed his bat before breaking into a jog.
But Thompson had other plans as he made a leaping catch at the wall to rob his former teammate of a home run.
After the game, Thompson downplayed his catch in some regard but also enjoyed that it came against the Dodgers, via Jane Lee of MLB.com:
“Yasiel obviously is really strong,” Thompson said. “Off the bat, I didn’t think he got all of it, but just went back and made a play. That’s it, really.
“It was a big part of the game, but I feel like I’ve made a couple plays better than that. It’s definitely up there, though, and it feels good to do it against these guys.”
Thompson was designated for assignment by the Dodgers before the start of the season as he was out of Minor League options and there was no room for him on their Opening Day roster.
He recently admitted to having a strong sense it was the decision the club would arrive at. It may have been for the best though, as Thompson is getting an opportunity at the Major League level in Oakland that he likely would not have had with the Dodgers.
